1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to the art of fabricating reeds for single reed musical instruments such as saxophones and clarinets, and particularly to a reed fabrication system with precision tools for each operation.
2. Background Information
The reed is the single most critical component of a single reed instrument. Its delicate structure, when subtly shaped, responds to the musician's every command to bring the instrument alive with the music we know. So important are reeds to accomplished performance, that they are commonly handmade from carefully selected materials according to exacting individual specifications. This fact, coupled with the reed's relatively short useful life, makes the reedmaking art and the reedmaker's tools of special interest.
Reedmaking involves a series of precision operations on a section of tube cane, that produce a finished reed of precisely the right size and shape. The reedmaker first carefully selects a section of tube cane according to its general size and desired attributes of hardness and grain pattern. Then, forcing a conventional splitting tool down the center of the selected section, the reedmaker breaks it longitudinally into three similar segments. After sizing one of the cane segments to form a rough reed blank having the approximate length and thickness of the finished reed, the reedmaker tapers, shapes, and trims the reed blank according to musician specifications, with the finished reed resulting.
Each of these operations must be performed with great skill and care to produce a useable reed of just the right size, shape, and physical attributes, and focusing on the tools and methodology commonly employed reveals certain drawbacks that need to be overcome.
First consider the process of shaving one of the cane segments to the approximate thickness desired ("thickness sizing"). Often accomplished with a block plane, sizing to the right thickness in this manner involves holding the cane segment between two thin rails mounted on a work surface, and planing down the inner surface to the thickness of the rails. The reedmaker places the cane segment between the rails with the rounded outer surface down and, while holding it in position with one hand, planes the inner surface with the block plane in the other hand until the cane segment is shaved down to the level of the two rails.
This results in a thickness-sized segment shaved to the approximate thickness desired, but only with significant manual dexterity to retain the rounded outer surface on the flat work surface with one hand while planing the inner surface with the other. The cane segment tends to shift in position longitudinally between the rails, as well as rotate about its longitudinal axis. In addition, shaving with a block plane in this manner requires several strokes that only compound the problem of retaining the segment in place as it gets thinner with each stroke. Furthermore, the plane is a general purpose tool of more complexity and expense than required for the single purpose of thickness sizing, and its use represents a two-tool approach that needs to be simplified. Consequently, it is desirable to have a new and improved thickness sizing tool for producing the thickness-sized segment with greater ease and precision.
Next consider the process of cutting the thickness-sized segment to the approximate length desired ("length sizing"). This is often accomplished with a small cutting tool known as guillotine cutters. So named for the manner in which the blade slides down vertical guides to the work piece being cut, guillotine cutters involve several steps. The reedmaker first measures a desired length along the thickness-sized segment with a measuring tool or by comparison with a finished reed, carefully marking the length on the segment. Then, positioning the thickness-sized segment under the guillotine blade so that the blade is precisely aligned with the mark, the reedmaker lowers the blade to shear off the extra length at the mark, with a rough reed blank resulting.
Thus, this multi-tool approach cuts the thickness-sized segment to the desired length, but only with significant skill and careful attention, and the use of separate tools to measure, mark, and cut. The reedmaker must locate and use a separate tool or pattern to make the desired measurement, locate and use a separate marking tool for marking the desired length on the thickness-sized segment, and then carefully place and retain the mark in alignment with the guillotine blade with one hand while operating the guillotine cutters with the other hand. Each of these requirements increases fabrication time while presenting opportunity for error. Consequently, it is desirable to have a new and improved length sizing tool for producing the rough reed blank with greater ease and precision, without the need for separate measuring, marking, and cutting tools.
After forming the rough reed blank, the reedmaker finishes it to exacting musician specifications, beginning with its taper. Using the tapered width of a metal bar as a pattern, the reedmaker holds the rough reed blank tightly against the metal bar, and with a knife or other suitable tool trims the sides of the reed blank until they conform to the metal bar ("tapering"). This results in a tapered reed blank that will mate with the instrument mouthpiece on which it is to be used.
But several problems need to be overcome. First, holding the small flat metal bar is difficult. It must be grasped with the fingers away from the tapered edges so that trimming can be accomplished, and this must be done with the rough reed blank retained against the bar in a fixed position. Squeezing the rough reed blank against the bar with the fingers of one hand while trimming with the other is awkward, and the blank tends to shift in position as it is trimmed.
Using a pair of small clamp devices complicates the operation with additional tools. Also, the clamps must be be carefully positioned away from the sides to be trimmed, where they do not obstruct trimming strokes along the sides. Furthermore, the clamps must not be secured too tightly, lest they produce indentations on the reed blank. Consequently, it is desirable to have a new and improved tapering tool that would alleviate these concerns--one that is convenient to hold, with provisions for retaining the rough reed blank in place without additional tools, while enabling tapering with ease and precision.
After tapering the rough reed blank to produce the tapered reed blank, the reedmaker continues by shaping the tapered blank to duplicate the shape of a pattern reed ("duplicating"). Usually one of the musician's favorite reeds, the pattern reed has performed well after being carefully trimmed, scraped, and otherwise modified by the musician to attain the precise size, shape, and physical attributes preferred.
Duplicating the pattern reed is often accomplished through a series of scraping and sanding operations performed on the tapered reed blank in an effort to produce a replica. Requiring great skill, this operation relies on the reedmaker's ability to discern where and how much to scrape and sand in order to copy the subtle variances in shape of the pattern reed. A micrometer often supplements the reedmaker's senses in this reedmaking step. A duplicate reed results.
Several tools are required, and the tapered reed blank must be carefully supported as duplicating proceeds. The operation is time consuming, requiring great manual dexterity and attention. One slip, and the reedmaker must start once again by preparing a fresh tapered reed blank. Consequently, it is desirable to have an apparatus for performing this operation with greater ease and precision, and with less chance for error.
To the extent the reed is shaped according to a given pattern, duplicating single reeds is generally similar in overall concept to profiling the double reeds used on such double reed instruments as English horns, oboes, and bassoons. A novel profiling apparatus for this purpose is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,257, and that patent is incorporated herein by reference for the details of construction it provides.
A comparable apparatus for duplicating single reeds would assist the reedmaker significantly, but the profiler described in the foregoing patent is not adapted for this purpose. Designed for profiling the smaller sections of reed stock employed for double reeds according to the contour of a metal template, it employs an arbor with reed and template nests for these particular components. The tapered reed blank and pattern reed do not fit. In addition, the template is secured within the template nest with clamp screws, and this arrangement would damage the pattern reed employed for single reeds.
Furthermore, the profiler employs a pointed stylus for tracing the contour of the template while a narrow cutting blade shaves the reed stock accordingly. This does not work with single reeds, which have a broader, flatter tip portion. Designed to trace a metal template, the pointed stylus mars the cane surface of the pattern reed. Also, the stylus and narrow blade combination requires many more shaving strokes than needed, with undesired roughness resulting when employed on a broad surface.
These problems are compounded by the profiler's movable cutting assembly. The cutting assembly slides along a shaft in order to move the cutting blade longitudinally along the reed stock. The cutting assembly also rotates slightly about the shaft axis as the stylus traces the template, to cause the blade to cut more or less deeply into the reed stock according to the profile of the template. But as the carriage rotates, the blade travels in a slight arc, and this results in sideways movement of the blade relative to the reed stock. Rather than smooth, straight, parallel cuts, a roughened reed surface results when this is done on the broader tip of a tapered reed blank.
Consequently, it is desirable to overcome these drawbacks of the double-reed profiler and have a single reed duplicator apparatus for producing a duplicate reed from a given pattern reed. The apparatus should be designed to accept the tapered reed blank and pattern reed, and to shape a smooth, broad surface on the tapered blank according to the pattern reed, free of the problems described, to produce the duplicate reed.
Once formed, the duplicate reed undergoes a final operation to produce the finished reed. The reedmaker trims the thin tip portion to a rounded shape of specified radius ("radius trimming"), and this matches the tip to the rounded shape of the instrument mouthpiece on which it will be used.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,231,404 describes a hand held trimming tool commonly employed for this purpose. Manipulated with the fingers, the tool snips off the tip of a reed to the desired radius. The reedmaker places the duplicate reed on a flat, reed-size support surface within the case, so that the tip lies atop a curved cutting edge extending through and slightly above the support surface. Then, carefully holding the reed in place so that it does not slip out of position, the reedmaker depresses a pivotal thumb plate against the reed tip, and this breaks off the tip against the cutting edge.
Although effective in many respects, certain aspects of this trimming tool need improvement also. Being a small device that is manipulated with the fingers, it requires dexterity in carefully placing and retaining the reed in place with the fingers of one hand, while the thumb plate is depressed with the other. Steady hands and fixed concentration are essential to hold the tool in midair while performing these operations. The reed tends to slide along the support surface out of position, and this is compounded by the raised cutting edge that elevates the reed slightly above the surface.
Consequently, it is desirable to have an improved trimming tool that overcomes the slippage problem, while being more substantial and convenient to use for this final step in producing the finished reed.
Reviewing each of the foregoing operations, impresses one with the intricacy and precision of the reedmaking art. The reedmaker employs many tools with patient skill, to progress from the selected section of tube cane to the finished reed. But existing tools and methodology have their drawbacks that consume time and introduce errors, and thus, it is desirable to overcome these problems and streamline the entire operation. It is desirable to have an improved reedmaking system that reduces the number of tools required with an integrated methodology enabling each reedmaking operation to be performed with greater ease and precision, and with less chance of error.